Base for oral hygiene instrument

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush holder comprising a body having a top and bottom, wherein a first cavity is formed in the body longitudinally extending therein, and an opening formed toward the top of the body, the opening and the first cavity configured to receive a toothbrush; an actuator positioned inside the cavity to engage the toothbrush, when the toothbrush is inserted in the cavity; a storage medium for storing audio information; and a speaker electrically coupled to the actuator and the storage medium, wherein in a first engagement state between the toothbrush and the actuator, the audio information is reproduced in form of audio waves from the speaker.

COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The owner has no objection tothe facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent document or thepatent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Officepatent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightswhatsoever.

Certain marks referenced herein may be common law or registeredtrademarks of third parties affiliated or unaffiliated with theapplicant or the assignee. Use of these marks is by way of example andshall not be construed as descriptive or limit the scope of thisinvention to material associated only with such marks.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to a toothbrush holder, andmore particularly to a musical toothbrush holder that plays a musicaltune or song when the toothbrush is removed from the toothbrush holder.

BACKGROUND

Many children and adults dislike brushing or flossing their teeth. Somejust lack the patience, discipline or energy to brush before going tobed, school or work. Typically, the ones who do only spend a minimumamount of time on these important daily hygiene exercises.

Unfortunately, most toothbrushes and other oral hygiene instrumentspresently in the market do not provide a fun and engaging environmentthat would provide some means of motivation to effectively completebrushing. A system and method is needed to overcome this problem. Thereis also a need to provide a timed environment to guide the users tospend sufficient time brushing or flossing their teeth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in thedescription which follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theobjectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized andattained by the structure particularly pointed out in the writtendescription and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a toothbrush holdercomprises a body having a top and bottom, wherein a first cavity isformed in the body longitudinally extending therein. An opening formedtoward the top of the body, the opening and the first cavity configuredto receive a toothbrush.

An actuator positioned inside the cavity engages the toothbrush, whenthe toothbrush is inserted in the cavity. A storage medium may beincluded for storing audio information; and a speaker electricallycoupled to the actuator and the storage medium.

In a first engagement state between the toothbrush and the actuator, theaudio information is reproduced in form of audio waves from the speaker.In a second engagement state between the toothbrush and the actuator,reproduction of the audio information is discontinued.

The first engagement state comprises the toothbrush engaging theactuator. The second engagement state comprises the toothbrushdisengaging the actuator. The first engagement state occurs when thetoothbrush is inserted in the cavity. The second engagement state occurswhen the toothbrush is removed from the cavity.

In an exemplary embodiment, the storage medium is flash memory and isfurther comprised of a timer for limiting reproduction of the audioinformation to a predetermined period in the first engagement state.

In one embodiment, a processor may be also included for controllingduration of reproduction of the audio waves in the first engagementstate; and the body is in shape of a 700 figurine.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a base for receivingan oral care instrument comprises a body having a top and bottom,wherein a first cavity is formed in the body and an opening is formedtoward the top of the body, the opening and the first cavity configuredto receive the oral care instrument; an actuator positioned inside thecavity to engage the oral care instrument, when the oral care instrumentis inserted in the cavity.

Some embodiments comprise a storage medium for storing audioinformation; and a speaker electrically coupled to the actuator and thestorage medium, wherein in a first engagement state between the oralcare instrument and the actuator, the audio information is produced inform of audio waves from the speaker. In a second engagement statebetween the oral care instrument and the actuator, reproduction of theaudio information is discontinued.

The first engagement state comprises the oral care instrument engagingthe actuator. The second engagement state comprises the oral careinstrument disengaging the actuator. The first engagement state occurswhen the oral care instrument is inserted in the cavity and the secondengagement state occurs when the oral care instrument is removed fromthe cavity.

These and other embodiments of the present invention will also becomereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the embodiments having reference to the attached figures,the invention not being limited to any particular embodiments disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary toothbrush holder according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1B illustrates the toothbrush holder according to another exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary electrical circuit according to anotherembodiment of the invention for the toothbrush holder of FIG. 1 or 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates yet another exemplary embodiment for the toothbrushholder of the invention in the shape of a 700 figurine.

Features, elements, and aspects of the invention that are referenced bythe same numerals in different figures represent the same, equivalent,or similar features, elements, or aspects in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following, reference is made to the accompanying drawings thatillustrate various embodiments of the invention. It is to be understoodthat other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may bemade without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, to achieve these and other advantages and inaccordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied andbroadly described, a toothbrush holder 10 comprises a body 20 having anopening on the top and a cavity extending therefrom longitudinallywithin the body 20 to respectively receive and house a toothbrush 50,for example.

The holder 10 may be a housing canister, base, container, cradle or anyother structure on or in which a toothbrush or some oral hygieneinstrument can rest. The toothbrush 50 can be any type of toothbrush. Inthe following, one or more aspects of the invention are by way ofexample described with reference to a regular toothbrush 50 comprises ofa handle and bristles. It is noteworthy, however, that this invention inother embodiments may be applicable to any type of toothbrush, or otheroral care or hygiene instruments.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the holder 10 in a preferred embodimentcomprises an actuator 30 disposed within the cavity, such that when thetoothbrush 50 is inserted in the cavity, the actuator 30 engages an endof toothbrush 50. In certain embodiments the opening and the cavity aredesigned to receive the handle of toothbrush 50. In other embodiments,the cavity and the opening are designed to receive the head oftoothbrush 50.

In alternative embodiments, body 20 may be designed without a cavity oropening, such that actuator 30 is disposed on a surface level. Forexample, actuator 30 may be designed in the shape of a cradle forreceiving the handle of toothbrush 50. In such exemplary embodiment,actuator 30 is in a first engagement status (e.g., “on” status) when theweight of toothbrush 50 bears down on actuator 30 and in a secondengagement status (e.g., “off” status) when no pressure is applied toactuator 30.

Referring back to FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, actuator 30 is apressure activated lever positioned inside the cavity such that whentoothbrush 50 is inserted through the opening into the cavity, one endof toothbrush 50 engages actuator 30 to place actuator 30 in a firstengagement position (e.g., “on” position).

In a certain embodiment, actuator 30 is a lever with a biasing property,so that when toothbrush 50 is removed from the cavity, actuator 30 isreturned to a second engagement position as a result of the biasingproperty acting against the weight of toothbrush 50. The biasingproperty may be implemented in actuator 30 by way of a spring-loadedlever, for example, or other suitable mechanical biasing member.

In alternative embodiments, actuator 30 may be situated at the bottom ofthe cavity or other portions of the cavity. Actuator 30 may be activatedby way of a pressure control mechanism, infrared beams or other suitableon/off switching means, for example. Accordingly, actuator 30 functionsto detect the engagement of toothbrush 50 with toothbrush holder 10.

In one or more embodiments, toothbrush holder 10 comprises a speaker 40controlled by actuator 30 by way of wired or wireless signals. Whenactuator 30 is in the first engagement position (i.e., “on” position)then an audio signal is produced from speaker 40. The audio signal maybe a melody or other alert tone. In a preferred embodiment, the audiosignal is a song or tune that is played for a predetermined period oftime or until toothbrush 50 is placed back in toothbrush holder 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, in accordance with one aspect of the invention,actuator 30 acts as a switch in an electrical circuit comprising atleast one of speaker 40, a storage medium or memory 70, a power source80 and a processor 100. Storage medium or memory 70 may comprise anyaudio data recording medium such as flash memory, Read Only Memory(ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM),Random Access Memory (RAM), a disk drive or CD, depending onimplementation.

In an exemplary embodiment, storage medium 70 may be removable so that auser may burn or record the user's favorite music or song on storagemedium 70. In other embodiments, storage medium 70 may be fixed withinbody 20 and as provided by the manufacturer. In alternative embodiments,storage medium 70 can be electrically or wirelessly manipulated for datarecording thereon, without removal.

Power source 80 may be a battery or other electrical source such as anelectrical outlet, for example. Power source 80 feeds a current to theexemplary electrical circuit illustrated in FIG. 2 to support theoperation of actuator 30 and speaker 40 as noted above.

In one embodiment, a timer 90 may be coupled to the electrical circuitto limit the reproduction of audio signal stored on storage medium 70 toa predetermined period. For example, timer 90 may be set by a user to atime which the user wishes to brush his teeth. Accordingly, the user isencouraged to continue to brush his or her teeth while the audio or themusic recorded on storage medium 70 is played.

A preferred embodiment of the invention may be designed for children toencourage them to brush their teeth for a predetermined time. As such,musical tunes or songs that appeal to children may be stored. In oneembodiment, the tune is played for approximately two minutes, or otherrecommended length of time considered appropriate for brushing all fourteeth quadrants. In some embodiments, an alert signal is producedpreferable at 30-second intervals, for example, to alert a user to brushanother quadrant. Instead of the alert signal, a different tune may beplayed every 30 seconds, in another embodiment.

It is note worthy that the two-minute or the 30-second intervals notedabove are provided by way of example. In different embodiments,alternate time periods may be used. For example, in accordance with yetanother embodiment, a processor 100 may be coupled to the electricalcircuit illustrated in FIG. 2. Processor 100 may be configured tocontrol the duration, type, volume, genre, or other attribute of audioinformation recorded and reproduced.

As such, a user may be provided with a variety of tunes that can berefreshing, motivational and fun. For example, in one embodiment thetune may be an opera piece encouraging the user to brush his or herteeth. Referring to FIG. 3, in one exemplary embodiment, the displayedcomponents in FIGS. 1 or 2 may be embodied into a 700 figurine. Asshown, the 700 figurine may be in the shape of an opera singer, forexample.

In other embodiments, the 700 figurine may be in the shape of ananimated character, such as Bugs Bunny, or any other character (e.g.,ballerina, toy soldier, etc.), instrument (e.g., piano, harp, etc.) ordevice (e.g., racecar, airplane, etc.) that may be amusing to a user.Parts of the 700 figurine, in certain embodiments, may move forentertainment purposes while the tune is played.

The invention has been described with reference to one or moreembodiments. It is evident that other alternatives, modifications,variations and embodiments may be apparent to those skilled in the artin light of the foregoing description.

For example, while processors, controllers and other circuits, aredescribed in terms of specific logical/functional circuitryrelationships, one skilled in the art will appreciate that such may beimplemented in a variety of ways, such as appropriately configured andprogrammed processors, ASICs (application specific integrated circuits),and DSPs (digital signal processors).

Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not limitedby the foregoing descriptions of the preferred embodiments, but embracesall alternatives, modifications, and variations in accordance with thespirit and scope of the appended claims and their full scope ofequivalents.

1. A toothbrush holder comprising: a body having a top and bottom, wherein a first cavity is formed in the body longitudinally extending therein, and an opening formed toward the top of the body, the opening and the first cavity configured to receive a toothbrush; an actuator positioned inside the cavity to engage the toothbrush, when the toothbrush is inserted in the cavity; a storage medium for storing audio information; and a speaker electrically coupled to the actuator and the storage medium, wherein in a first engagement state between the toothbrush and the actuator, the audio information is reproduced in form of audio waves from the speaker.
 2. The toothbrush holder of claim 1, wherein in a second engagement state between the toothbrush and the actuator, reproduction of the audio information is discontinued.
 3. The toothbrush holder of claim 1, wherein the first engagement state comprises the toothbrush engaging the actuator.
 4. The toothbrush holder of claim 2, wherein the second engagement state comprises the toothbrush disengaging the actuator.
 5. The toothbrush holder of claim 1, wherein the first engagement state occurs when the toothbrush is inserted in the cavity.
 6. The toothbrush holder of claim 2, wherein the second engagement state occurs when the toothbrush is removed from the cavity.
 7. The toothbrush holder of claim 1, wherein the storage medium is flash memory.
 8. The toothbrush holder of claim 1 further comprising a timer for limiting reproduction of the audio information to a predetermined period in the first engagement state.
 9. The toothbrush holder of claim 1 further comprising a processor for controlling duration of reproduction of the audio waves in the first engagement state.
 10. The toothbrush holder of claim 1 wherein the body is in shape of a figurine.
 11. A base for receiving an oral care instrument, the base comprising: a body having a top and bottom, wherein a first cavity is formed in the body and an opening is formed toward the top of the body, the opening and the first cavity configured to receive the oral care instrument; an actuator positioned inside the cavity to engage the oral care instrument, when the oral care instrument is inserted in the cavity; a storage medium for storing audio information; and a speaker electrically coupled to the actuator and the storage medium, wherein in a first engagement state between the oral care instrument and the actuator, the audio information is produced in form of audio waves from the speaker.
 12. The base of claim 11, wherein in a second engagement state between the oral care instrument and the actuator, reproduction of the audio information is discontinued.
 13. The base of claim 11, wherein the first engagement state comprises the oral care instrument engaging the actuator.
 14. The base of claim 12, wherein the second engagement state comprises the oral care instrument disengaging the actuator.
 15. The base of claim 11, wherein the first engagement state occurs when the oral care instrument is inserted in the cavity.
 16. The base of claim 12, wherein the second engagement state occurs when the oral care instrument is removed from the cavity.
 17. The base of claim 11, wherein the storage medium is flash memory.
 18. The base of claim 1 further comprising a timer for limiting reproduction of the audio information to a predetermined period in the first engagement state.
 19. The base of claim 1 further comprising a processor for controlling duration of reproduction of the audio waves in the first engagement state.
 20. The base of claim 1 wherein the body is in shape of a figurine. 